Standing Committee Policies and Procedures

Committee Objectives

GFOA Standing Committees will establish objectives to include specific projects and activities to benefit the GFOA membership. As appropriate, the GFOA Executive Board and president may direct or suggest that individual GFOA Standing Committees study and make recommendations on certain projects, programs or policy positions. GFOA standing committees should annually report to the GFOA Executive Board on their respective activities and work programs. On no occasion will a Standing Committee endorse a program/project or adopt a policy position on behalf of the association. In such instances, GFOA Standing Committees will communicate with the Executive Board and seek the Board's advice and direction.

Committee Membership

Membership on GFOA Standing Committees is limited to individuals who are active GFOA members.

Term and Attendance

Committee members are appointed for a specified term, not to exceed three years. Committee membership is conditioned upon attendance at fifty percent of the committee meetings and activities in each calendar year.

Meetings

A minimum of two committee meetings will be held each calendar year.

Size of Committees

Standing committees are to consist of no more than twenty-five voting (active) members. The GFOA President may authorize committee chairs to invite other active members to work with committees on projects requiring special expertise. These persons shall not be considered committee members.

their present composition with the recognition that it is a goal of GFOA to have women and minorities actively involved at all levels of the organization including the standing committees.

Committee Advisors

Standing committees may include up to five nonvoting advisors who are not public officials but are expert in the committee's area of interest. Advisors must be chosen from GFOA's associate membership and appointed by the GFOA President. The advisor's role is to provide technical guidance to committee members on an as-needed basis to be determined by the committee chair. A committee member who leaves the public sector must resign her/his position as a member but may become an advisor on appointment by the GFOA President.

Appointment of Standing Committee Members

The GFOA President makes all appointments to the various standing committees, with other individuals playing an important role in identifying appropriate candidates. The following process will be completed before appointment to a standing committee:

The executive director and staff will develop an application form for completion by individuals interested in serving on a GFOA committee. The form will solicit pertinent information regarding the individual's background and expertise. In addition, the form will make clear to the candidate the degree of commitment required to serve on a standing committee.

Opportunity for appointment to committees will be announced in the GFOA Newsletter each year in the summer. Candidates identified as a result of this announcement will receive an application form upon request.

Specific recommendations of potential members will be solicited from current Executive Board members, current committee chairs and members, current state and provincial representatives and GFOA staff. All individuals identified through this process will be asked to complete an application form.Completed application forms will be forwarded to the GFOA President for final determination of appointments.

Appointment of Standing Committee Chairs

The chair and vice-chair of each committee is appointed annually by the GFOA President. The GFOA President appoints the chair and vice-chair for a one-year term when new committee members are appointed or current members reappointed, i.e., the beginning of a new calendar year. Standing Committee Chairs may be reappointed for two additional consecutive terms. An Executive Board member serving on a standing committee may not serve as the chair or vice-chair.

Rotation of Committee Member and Advisor Term(s)

Upon completion of a committee member's term, the GFOA president may reappoint committee members if he/she has reapplied for membership subject to the following limits.

A member and advisor may serve for a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms.

A member and advisor who has served two consecutive three-year terms may apply for standing committee appointment after one year.

The GFOA President may waive these limits of appointment for members who have served or are serving as Chair or Vice-Chair of the standing committee.

Committee members' terms are staggered so that a portion of the committee's membership rotates each year.

Interim Terms

Should a committee opening occur, the GFOA President may appoint a replacement to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Quorum

Official actions by a committee require a quorum of more than fifty percent of voting members to be present and voting. Should a quorum not exist, the committee may file a report summarizing committee recommendations, but the report should indicate that a quorum did not exist and official action was not concluded.

Staff Support

GFOA staff members responsible for standing committees are to provide logistical, editorial and technical support and general secretarial services. Committee members are to continue to have primary responsibility for developing and completing programs and projects of benefit to the GFOA membership.

Ex-Officio Members

GFOA Executive Board members may serve as voting members of standing committees in an ex-officio capacity. The GFOA President will appoint Executive Board members to serve in an ex-officio capacity. After the expiration of an Executive Board member's term, he or she will be eligible for appointment to a standing committee.